Wringer



pt. 10. 1940. N. H. WATTS v 2,214,094

- WRINGER Filed Oct. 11, 1937' 2 Shouts-Sheet 1 /7a: of INVENTOR.

flab/e H aims ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1940 v V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

.WRLNGER Noble H. Watts, Glendale, Califl, assignor to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corpora tion of Pennsylvania Application October m 1937, Serial No. 163,432 10 Claims. (01. 68-253) This invention relates generally to power -Fig.' 1 is a. side elevational view of my novel wringers and more particularly to pressure reguwringer. I lating and developing means for the rolls thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in sec- All devices of this character made according tion and with the housing-removed showing my to the prior art, and with which I am familiar, novel clutch 'means for developing pressure be- 5 have provided some sort of spring means for de tween the rolls. veloping pressure between the rolls of a wringer Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View showing the methresulting in excessive stresses on the frame of 0d of linkage from the lower or power shaft to the wringer thereby requiring a heavy frame, and the npper'shaft, the upper and lower shafts carconsiderable space. These springs would readily rying the pressure rolls. 10 lose their elasticity and the forces which they Fig.4 is a side elevational view of the flanged exerted on the ends of the rolls were uneven in clutch housing shown in Fig. 2.

many cases, thereby making the wringing oper- Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the clutch 'ation less efficient. The regulation of the presdisc which engages the splines in the clutch houssure exerted by these springs was also very-difliing shown in Fig. 4.. 15

cult because of the size of the springs and other Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the clutch structural impediments. disc which engages the clutch disc shown in Fig. It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to 5 and which moves with the power shaft shown in overcome the above-mentioned defects in wring- Fig, 2.

ers and more particularly to provide a wringer Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the spring 20 in which the pressure between the rolls is conmember used in the clutch mechanism. trolled from the shaft of one of the rolls. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on a vertical 7 Another object of my invention is to provide a. plane through the center of the spring member wringer which is efficient in operation, easy to of Fig. 7. p construct, economical in cost, and which requires Fig. 9 is an end elevational view partly in sec- 25 a minimum of space. Q tion showing particular control members used in Another object of my invention is to provide a my novel wringer. wringer wherein the power obtained through a Fig. 10 is an end elevational view of a modii'riction slip clutch develops the pressure between lied form of linkage between the upper and lowthe rolls. x er rolls wherein spring members are usedto sep- 30 Another object of my invention is to provide arate the rol1s.. a a wringer which has novel control means for the Fig. 11 is an end elevational view of a modified operation thereof. form of linkage between the upper and lower Anotherobiect of my invention is to provide pressure roll.

a wringer wherein all stresses are confined to the Fig. l2.is an end elevational view of another 35 clutch and linkage system with only thetorsional modified form of linkage between the upper and stresses on the-frame'. g lower-rolls;

' Another object of my invention is to provide a 1 Referring the drawings. t e w er Shown wringer wherein the bottom roll power shaft is s Hvin F 2 compris en. u er housing I x 40 in one piece permitting alignment of the wringer having dlsposed iherem end members 2 Q on the shaftinstead of forcing the shaft to align; The Fi members 2 and 3 carry sultable b eanngs with the frame. 1 4 to ournal the shafts 5 and 6 upon which are Another object of my invention is to provide a mounted the Q pressurfa. rolls wringer wherein the pressurerolls may be sepa- The lower roll 8 preferably utlhzed as rated by spring members when the wringer-is at er roll and the ends of the shaft are splined at neutral position and withoutfabric between the and g fi at engaging wlth drum r115. inlgl nliemdeg which (11s adapted to drive the Another object of my invention is to provide a m S an m a Orwar or reverse dlrectlon' The driving means for the rolls 1 and 8 comwringer wherem snubbmg means are provided for prventmg Sudden separation of the rolls. prise a shaft I2 disposed in a post l3 and WhlCh 60 has mounted on the upper end thereof a bevelled other Oblects of m inventlon W111 f gear I I in engagement with oppositely disposed dent from the following detailed description, "bevelled gears I5 and I6 journalled in a revolvtaken in conjunction with the accompany n able frame I! supported by a. shoulder on the post drawings, in which 13. The control means for the operation of the 55 rolls I and 8 comprise a bar I8 disposed in the upper portion of the housing I having gears I9 mounted on each end thereof to engage rack members 2I and 22 which move tangentially of gear 23 is mounted on a shaft 25 journalled in the upper portion of the frame I! and has an eccentrically disposed member 26 disposed on the bottom portion thereof which engages a peripheral groove 21 in the driving member II engaging the ,driving shaft 5. Upon rotation of the gear 23 by means of the rotation of the bar I8 in any direction, the eccentric member 26 causes the teeth 28 on the driving member I I t-o move into engagement with teeth 29 and 30 on the face of the bevelled gears I5 and I6, thereby directly transmitting power from thebevelled gears I5 and I6.to the shaft 6 in accordance with the direction of .rotation of the bevelled gear I5 or I6 in which the driving member [I is in engagement. The frame I! supports the housing I and rotates about the wringer post I3. A conventional lever 3| is provided to set the wri'nger in any position desired.

Coming now to the gist of this invention, which is broadly the development of pressure between the top roll and the bottom roll through the medium of the bottom roll shaft-6, the splines 32 on clutch 'discs 33 (Fig.6), engage with the splines 9 and I0 on both ends of the shaft 6 and are rotatable therewith and movable longitudinally thereof. The discs 33' are adapted to friction'ally engage the clutch discs 34 which are freely mounted on the shaft 6 and spring members 35 are provided to urge the discs 33 and 34 into. frictional. engagement. Flanged clutch housings 33 are freely mounted on the shaft 6 and are splined to and rotatable with the clutch discs 34, the internal periphery of the flanged housings 36 being provided with splines 31 which engage the outer projecting portions 38 of the clutch'discs 34 thereby permitting relative longitudinal movement of the discs 34 but causing the housings 36 to rotate with the discs 34.. The

- housings 36 with the complete clutch unit move freely on the shaft 6 without end thrust. A spring'member 35 urges-the group of dises 34 against the driving disc 33. Flanges 39 are disposed adjacent the housings 36 and anchor pins 40 are mounted near the outer periphery thereof. Other anchor pins M are mounted on the end walls 2 and 3' arid are stationary. Pull tapes or belts 42, preferably forming endless loops as pull cables shown in Fig. 3, are looped around the bearings 4 and anchor pins 40. The rotation of the lower or power shaft 6 causes the rotation of thediscs 33 splined. thereto. The discs 33 upon rotation in frictional engagement with the discs'34 splined to the clutch housings 36 urge the discs 34 with housing 36 to rotate, the force therebetween. The housings 36 areurged to rotate by the discs 34 splined thereto and thereby the anchor-pins 40 movable therewith exert tensional pull on the tapes 42 which causes the upper roll shaft 5 to be forced downwardly an amount proportional to the torsional effect exerted by the clutch which in turn is dependent on the force exerted by the spring members 35, It will be apparent that the upper anchor pins M are not absolutely necessary in that the tapes 42 could be anchored on a bearing on the lower shaft 6. When the rolls 1 and 8 are separated, the pull tape unwinds to provide a snubbing action between the rolls 1 and 8.

In operation, the wringer is placed in its desired position for operation and the lever 3-I looks it in this position. The shaft 6 and gears I5 and I5 are rotated by the driving mechanism not shown and the teeth 29 'on the driving member II splined onthe power shaft 6 is forced into engagement with the teeth 29 or 30 of the forward or reverse gears I5 or I6 by rotation of the control bar I8. The rotation of the shaft 5 causes rotation of the discs 33 splined thereon which in turn cause rotation of the discs 34 splined to the housing 36 through frictional engagement therewith, the force of the spring members 35 defining the limits of the rotational force exerted. The anchor pins 40 rotatable with the housing 36 exert a winding effect and a tensional force on the tapes 42 which thereby causes a downward force on the upper roll shaft 5. It will be apparent that pressure force of the spring members 35 used determines the force which is exerted downwardly by the belt 42 since the greater the force of the spring members 35, the greater will be the friction between the discs 33 and 34. The only force exerted on the frame of the wringer is a slight torsional strain; otherwise, all of the strain is taken by the shaft 6 of bing action.

Fig. 9 shows a means for automatically reversing the tilt of the tilting drain board 50 when/the rolls I and 8 are operated in a forward or reverse direction, this means comprising a crank arm 5I rotatably secured to the control bar I8 and attached to a link 52 with a projecting pin 53 on the lower portion thereof for engaging the underside of the drain board 50. When the control bar I8 is rotated to cause the rolls I and 8 to move-in forward or reverse direction, the crank arm 5| will rotate with the control bar I8 and t the drain board 50 in the proper position relation to the direction of rotation of the rolls I and B.

Fig. -10 is an end view which shows substantially the same construction as that shown in Fig. 3 with the exception that spring members 60 are disposed on each end of the shafts GI and 62 to effect a full separation thereof when the wringer is in a neutral position. V r

Fig. 11 is a modified form of linkage between the upper and lower roll sh'afts III and II, only one end of the wringer being shown in Fig. 11.

In this arrangement, the lower anchor pin I2 is disposed in the same position as in'the other constructions but the looped tap-e13 is disposed directly around bearing 4 of'the u'pper shaft II! I to effect a direct downward pull on the upper shaft III.

Fig. 12 is another modified form of linkage between the upper and lower roll shafts and 8| with one end of the wringer shown. In this construction a cam member 82 is disposed on the lower shaft 8| and rotates therewith. Projecting portions 83 on the cam member 82 engage the external surface of the tape 84 and the projecting portions 83 of the cam member 82 are placed in such a position with relation to the anchor pin 85 that upon rotation of the cam member 82 in a clockwise direction when in a poforce on the upper roll shaft will be exerted by the tape 84.

It will be apparent that I have provided a wringer which requires a minimum amount of space, which is simple in construction and cheap in cost, which has a new, original, and efficient means for developing pressure between the coacting rolls, which has novel control means, which is safe, and which has many other advantages in construction and in means of control.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the present invention without .diverting from the spirit thereof, or within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a wringer, a power roll, a second roll coacting therewith, shafts upon which said rolls are mounted, tension means for linking said shafts together, and a clutch mounted on said power roll and in engagement therewith for exerting a predetermined pressure on said rolls through said tension means, said clutch comprising driving and driven disc members in frictional engagement, the driving disc members being rotated by said power shaft and a spring member urging said discs into frictional engagement whereby the pressure between said rolls is regulated.

2. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a coacting pressure roll, tension means linking said rolls, and a friction clutch having one part rotated by one of said rolls and a second part thereof frictionally 'actuated by said first mentioned part and operatively connected to said tension means to create a pressure between said rolls.

3. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a coacting pressure roll, shafts for said rolls, tension means for linking said shafts together comprising a band, and a friction means having one part rotated by one of said shafts anda second part thereof frictionally actuated by said first mentioned part operatively engaged with said band to tension said band and draw said rolls together.

4. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a. coacting pressure roll, shafts for said rolls, tension means linking said shafts, friction means having one part rotated by one of said shafts and a second part thereof frictionally actuated by said first mentioned part and operatively connected to said tension means for creating a pressure between said rolls, and means for predetermining the amount of pressure between said rolls.

5. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a second roll, shafts for said rolls, tension means for linking said shafts together comprising a looped band, an anchor member to which said band is engaged, and means operatively connected to said power rotated shaft and to said anchor member to create a pressure between said rolls.

6. In awringer, a power rotated roll, a second roll, shafts for said rolls, tension means for linking said shafts together comprising a band and anchor members therefor connecting said shafts so positioned that the ratio of force transfer through the band is multiplied, and means operatively connected to said power rotated roll and to said anchor member to create a pressure between said rolls.

'7. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a second roll, tension means for linking said rolls together comprising a band, anchor points for said band and a cam member engaging said band for decreasing the pressure exerted on said rolls beyond a predetermined degree of separation thereof, and means operatively engaged with said power rotated roll and one of said anchor points for creating a pressure between said-rolls.

8. In a wringer, a power shaft, means for driving said shaft in a forwarder reverse direction mounted on said shaft, power means for operating said driving means, a second shaft, rolls carried by said shafts, tension means for linking said shafts, and means operatively engaged with I said power shaft and said tension means for creating pressure between said rolls.

9. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a coacting pressure roll, tension means linking said rolls, and friction means having one part rotated by one of said rolls and a second part thereof frictionally actuated by said first mentioned part and operatively connected with said tension means whereby the pressure exerted between said rolls is substantially uniform at any lateral position thereof.

10. In a wringer, a power rotated roll, a second roll, and means for maintaining a substantially uniform pressure at any point of separation of said rolls comprising tension means for linking said rolls together and friction means operatively engaged with said power roll and said tension means.

NOBLE H. WATTS. 

